Wichita eagle., 1887-02-25
SANTA Annals BRIDE.
A BEAUTIFUL, SHA5eILY DRESSED
GIRL, PLAYING WITH A KITTEN.

Her Rich Wardrobe-A Lazy Lady.
A Lesson in Neatness>Reeefving q
Visitor.
When Gen. Santa Anna lost power and
prestige and was exiled, his young wife
proved q true and devoted woman. In
1874 the exiled hero, old, broken in health
| and bowed in spirit, received permission
from the Mexican government to return
to his natiye land, and then his wife was
his chief solace and did all in her power
to alleviate his moral and physical suffer
ings. The ex-dictator lived very plainly,
for the greater part Of his fortune had
been squandered in the West Indies; those
who had fawued upon him In other days
utterly ignored him, and he was totally
neglected even by persons on whom he
had once conferred immense favors. As
to his favorite generals and other military
chiefs, many assumed virtuous or pa
triotic indignation and Gsclaimed inter-
course with a man who was TRAITOR;
all seemed to forget how well and bravely
Gen. Santa Anna had fought against the
Americans in 1916.
LOLLING IN A ROCKING CHAIR.
After Gen. Santa Anna died his family
recovered some of his former possessions,
and his widow was comparatively
wealthy. She owned city residence
here and pretty country seat in Tacu-
baya. Her wardrobes were filled with
silk, satin and velvet dresses, her laces
alone constituted a fortune, and she still
retained costly sets Of diamonds, pearls
and emeralds; but when the stimulus of
the old generals ambition was with
drawn Mrs. Santa Anna became so care
less, 50 inane that she had not energy
enough to sustain the position she might
have held if possessed of any spirit.
Her apathy was not due to any regrets
for past rank or splendor. She was SIM
ply lazy, and soon degenerated into o
nonenity, and instead of opening her salon
to those who respected her and fully ap-
preciated her virtues, she received but
few relatives and passed her days idly
lOlling in a rocking chair. Some two
years ago a Spanish lady, who was
really attached to Mrs Santa Anna,
tried to arouse her from her oyster. like
existence. One morning, when she found
her ex-highness in torn, soiled wrapper,
with her hair hanging down and her
feet thrust into old slippers down at the
heel, she said
Lola, it is a shame for you to be so
untidy."
Mrs. Santa Anna replied: II have no
person to dress for.''
NONSENSE" exclaimed her friend.
"You should remember that you are the
widow Of ono of Mexicos most illustrt-
GUS heroes Allow me to give you one
lesson in neatness."
What is it9" asked Mrs Santa Anna,
with languid smile.
LESSON IN NEATNEss
cit must be given in the parlor," re-
sponded Sonora B., and, leading the
widow into the salon, she pointed to the
portrait Of the deceased president, say
ing: "Look at that proud face" then
stopping before full length portrait Of
her ex-higEness, said: "Look at your
graceful figure, youl beautiful face, those
magnificent jewels which you yet possess
and those almost regal robes" then
quickly turning to large mirror, added:
"And there behold what you are nowr'
Mrs. Santa Anna gazed at the figure in
the mirror, then replied: eyes, my
beauty has all gone.''
NO." responded her friend; "your
teeth ere still beautiful, your hair is but
slightly changed, your figure is still ex-
cellent, but you are so slovenly tn you
look worse than any of your servants,
and you are SO indolent that if you dc
not soon rouse yourself half of your facul-
ties will be paralyzed for lack of exer.
cise.'
Mrs. Santa Anna rallied for a while,
but about year ago, when the writer
had occasion to see her, and had called
and waited some time, woman in q
faded calico dress, having her head and
form enveloped in o blue cotton rebosa,
such rs servants and Indian women
wear, entered tho parlor. l asked:
docs Mrs. Santa Anna know am herei
Was my card given her?''
The reply was: "Ahl I see you have
entirely forgotten me-" 1t YVES Mrs
Santa Anna.
Mortified at my own stupidity, quickly
replied: The parlor is a little dark; I
have not seen you for two years, and then
you were dressed in black." But In very
truth l had never seen the lady looking
quite SO untidy. So little was Mrs Santa
Anna known, or rather SO completely
was her very existence forgotten, that
when she was buried not long ego some
of the Mexican newspapers alluded to
her extreme old age" although she
could not have been more than So or SO
years old. They evidently believed the
deceased was the presidents first wife,
who would have been at least So